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There was a boy. His name was Allen Walker. A charming English lad with a golden heart. A boy with a fiery spirit. A gentleman. This boy Walker had a blessing. They called it Innocence; a power forged into weapons to vanquish demons and free souls bound by them. They called it a blessing; a gift in the left hand of a young boy, vital in the war of Evil vs Good.

This boy Walker, had traveled far and wide, defeating demons, gaining allies, putting a good shift. His name spread quickly; and he was well aware of it. He was a hero, and he loved it. He loved nothing more than seeing hope rekindle, seeing a candle light up the darkness, seeing tears turn to joy and knowing he was integral in all of this.

But this boy Walker, like any great tale, met the one that will shape his destiny, for better or for worse. A foe greater than all those he had met. A foe with the ability to render Innocence useless. It was short and brief. The next time he came to, his weapon was shattered. His Innocence reduced to dust that just lingered.

This boy Walker was supposed to be dead. But by a miracle he was alive. The Innocence plugged a hole in his heart. A hole made by the enemy. No one had ever heard of Innocence saving its user before. It’s like it had a mind of its own; its own consciousness, knowing what it wanted regardless. But all Walker was interested in, like any valiant soldier, was knowing how soon he could return to battle.

This boy Walker, attempted to revive his Innocence. He attempted for 5 days and failed. It was like the Innocence in its own consciousness was refusing to activate. It was like it had refused to recognize Walker. He begged it. He prayed. He could not understand why. His intentions were just. All he ever wanted was to fight alongside his fellow comrades. But this boy Walker, was naive. He didn’t get it. He didn’t know the reason of Innocence, and was about to.learn the hard way.

A demon of reputable strength attacked the facility Walker was being held. And being the only Exorcist able to deal with it, an Exorcist rejected by his own Innocence, the future was bleak. That didn’t stop him from fighting. He gave all he had, even at a massive disadvantage. And as fate would have it, in the most cliché of turnarounds, he finally got it. He understood Innocence.

This boy Walker remembered. He remembered the first day he vanquished a demon and saw it free the soul it held captive. The demon and the soul weren’t two entites. The demon was, in fact, the soul that needed saving. The soul and the demon were one, with the Innocence cleansing it. He began to think back. He wondered when the line became blurry. The line separating salvation of souls and camaraderie. The line separating a mission to kill, and a mission to rescue. Was he fighting demons? Or was he fighting for the demons? Who was in need of salvation? The humans – the free spirits? Or the demons – the bound souls wailing to be freed?

This boy Walker, found the answer. It was both. His left hand – hand laden with Innocence, for the sake of the demons. His right hand – hand of companionship, for the sake of the humans. They both needed saving. His Innocence asked the question, and this was his reply. And with the most absurd of answers, he regained power, greater than ever. His focus was reset, his resolve stronger.

And this boy Walker, was never the same again.

[This story is adapted from the Manga Series D.Grayman written by Hoshino Katsura]